


Distorted Reflections

by waterbringer (Zashiki_Warashi)



Category: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica, xxxHoLic
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-29
Updated: 2017-04-29
Packaged: 2018-10-25 05:00:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10757208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zashiki_Warashi/pseuds/waterbringer
Summary: It was really just a normal day for everyone. It just so happens that for them, "normal" is exceptionally dangerous.





	Distorted Reflections

It was a fairly typical day, so of course, something like this had to happen. Another day, another one of Yuuko's errands, as it were.

It was all Doumeki's fault anyway. Somehow.

The evening started out the same, Watanuki going to the shop and preparing dinner, nikujaga today, but it wasn't long before she'd handed him a long, thin container with a strap, cylinder-shaped and nearly identical to the ones the archery team used.

“So who do you want me to take this to?” Watanuki asked as he slipped the strap onto his shoulder.

“Head out here. Don't worry. You'll know who to give it to. Also, give them this note. It'll have all the instructions they need to know.” Yuuko handed him a folded slip of paper with something written on it along with an envelope. “

Watanuki sighed. Trust Yuuko to be cryptic with this sort of thing. Opening the slip of paper, he peeked at the directions she'd given.

“What?! This just says to walk north from here and don't stop!”

“Yep! Be a good boy and get to it!”

Which was how Watanuki found himself walking down a dark and abandoned street with no destination in mind.

“Why'd she give such vague directions? How do I know if I've gone to the right place if I don't even know when to stop?”

Watanuki sighed and looked up at the sky, stars dotted across it.

So big. So vast. I'm just a tiny, insignificant part of it when it all comes down to it.

Watanuki closed his eyes.

An insignificant-

No

Watanuki's head jerked down as his eyes opened.

The landscape had changed.

“No...no way.”

Where he was standing now, Watanuki could only describe as bizarre. Despite everything he had seen in his life, he couldn't quite put into words what he was looking at now, except perhaps an experimental art project gone very, very wrong.

It was a huge, dark space, with what looked like windows hovering with faded silhouettes moving across them. The floor looked like crayon scribbles overlapping over and over again, until you could barely tell it was on a white surface. The worst of it, though, was the creature in the center of the room.

Assuming that's what it was. It looked more like a great mound of mercury, shifting and spilling around, reminiscent of dripping wax. It looked as though thin, dripping arms were beginning to form.

And then one of the arms lifted and started swinging right at him.

“Gah!”

Diving out of the way, the limb slammed into the ground inches away from where Watanuki had been standing a second ago. A moment later, he had to jerk back in the other direction as another limb came crashing down again. Quickly, he became trapped in a dance of sorts, ducking and spinning, trying to avoid being hit and yelling with each evasion.

“What. Is. This. Thing?! Where. Did. It-!”

After one particularly close call, he tripped and fell on his side, hard. Quickly he rolled out of the way of another strike, only end up right in the way of a different arm coming at him. With no time to move, he braced himself.

The limb was a split second away from crushing him when an arrow made of lightning suddenly flew over Watanuki's head, striking the creature. The beast barely seemed to notice it, though, as it seemed to absorb it and reform, none the worse for wear.

Rolling over and whipping around, Watanuki snapped, “Doumeki, where the hell did you-!” but stopped when he got a good look at the archer.

Instead of Doumeki, there stood a young girl, a few years younger than himself probably, clad in a bright pink outfit, covered in frills, the kind of ensemble you would be more likely to see in a cartoon than in real life. She pulled the string of a flowery bow back, releasing another lightning arrow into the deformed...thing that was still intent on eating him, with no more effectiveness.

“Get back!”

From the side, a different girl with long black hair and a rather more reasonable outfit accented in violet with a shield-like disc on her arm, ran forward, looking out of breath and a bundle of nerves. Watanuki's main concern, however, was what she was holding in her hand.

“Gah!” Quick as he could, Watanuki scrambled up (in a very dignified manner) and ran until he was at the pink one's side, at what he assumed would be a reasonable distance.

“Wait, are you sure you should be..!” Watanuki trailed off as the girl pressed a large button with her hand and chucked the grenade at the creature.

A roaring fireball exploded near the creature, making it give off an inhuman shrieks and it began to thrash around. After a few seconds, everything started to get shaky and blurry until the demented landscape faded away, leaving the three of them standing back on the street.

“Oh no, it got away!”

Watanuki looked over as the two girls' outfits glowed for a second before they transformed into school uniforms, with tan tops and plaid skirts, the weapons disappearing.

“I can't sense it anywhere! Where did it go? It's like it vanished.”

“Wait, what was-”

Watanuki cut himself off as the girls started and stood up stick-straight, turning slowly toward him as though surprised he were even there. The expressions on their faces would have been funny if he wasn't so confused.

“Umm, well...”

“I've never encountered a spirit like that one before. It was like something you could only see in an experimental movie or something.”

“Huh? Spirits?”

The girls continued to look at him as though he was the weirdo around here,eyes wide and leaning slightly away instead of whatever they had just fought. “Well, whatever that thing was.”

“You remember all that?” The pink-haired one asked.

“Um. Yes?”

“But you're a guy! And you seem kind of old. How were you aware of what was going on in the labyrinth?”

“Huh? Oh,” Watanuki scratched the back of his head. “Well, I've always been able to see that sort of thing. And hey, who are you calling old?”

As though just realizing, the pink-haired girl flushed, looking embarrassed all of a sudden. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that! It's just...” she trailed off and her friend answered.

“It's that usually, people aren't aware of being attacked by those things at all, most of the time, and the people that do can become magical girls.”

Watanuki tilted his head. “Can become...I'm sorry what?” Did he just walk into one of those tv shows for girls?

“Magical girls!” Pink-hair said proudly. “That's what we are.”

“Hold on. So, you two are human?”

“Oh yes, of course!” she nodded.

“But then, aren't you a little young to be fighting things like that?” Watanuki asked. “It's dangerous, you know?”

The dark-haired girl looked down at the ground solemnly, a far-away look in her eyes.

“Yeah, but,” the pink-haired one trailed off, looking to the side with a more sober expression on her face. “Someone has to fight them, and, well, almost no one can even see the witches at all.”

Huh? They're called witches? Nothing like Yuuko, I guess.

“And besides,” she brightened. “Everyone who does this gets a wish!”

Watanuki blinked, confused. “I'm sorry, but what kind of wish could be granted with that?”

“Anything at all!”

Watanuki was taken-aback. “What?”

The black-haired girl took a step forward and spoke softly. “In exchange for becoming becoming a magical girl, you get any wish you want. One miracle.”

Anything...at all? That, that's not right. “And how long do you have to do this? Be magical girls, and fight these witches?”

“Well, it could be forever, I guess,” Pink-hair answered, almost hesitantly. “I mean, you never really stop.”

What could they so desperately need to do something like that? And who do you go to for that? Who would do something like that? They're just kids!

Something must have shown on his face, because the pink-haired one looked concerned for a moment before seeming to come to a decision. She stepped forward and bowed slightly.

“Hello! I'm Kaname Madoka. And this,” she gestured over her shoulder. “Is my friend Akemi Homura.”

“Hello.” The other girl, Homura, inclined her head as well.

“Oh, um, I'm Watanuki Kimihiro,” he said, nodding back.

“Now, I think we have a problem.”

“Hmmm? What is it?” Watanuki asked.

“This...doesn't look like the same place where we entered the labyrinth,” Madoka said, looking at a street sign.

“Yeah, you're right,” Homura commented, glancing around. “This is a bunch of people's houses. We were downtown.”

Labyrinth? That place we just were, I guess. “Is there anyway that it could have taken you somewhere else?” Watanuki asked.

“I suppose it's possible, but it's never happened before. But then, we are still pretty new at this, so who knows. Oh, if only Mami or Kyubey were here, they'd know.” Madoka started to look around the corner. “This place doesn't look familiar at all.”

“Hmm. I actually don't recognize your uniforms at all. What school do you two go to?”

“Oh dear,” Madoka looked worried. “We could be in another town altogether. We're from Mitakihara. Do you know how far that is?”

“Um.” Watanuki shifted awkwardly. “I've never heard of it.”

Homura and Madoka glanced at each other, looking chest-fallen and wrong-footed. “But, then where are we?”

Watanuki wondered how to break the news that he suspected they had fallen from another world when, “Oh! Wait, I should have something for you,” Watanuki remembered, taking the container off his back and digging the letter from out of his pocket. “This should probably help you.” He held the objects out. The two girls looked confused for several seconds, before looking at him strangely.

Watanuki grinned awkwardly. “Sorry, I'm doing something similar to you. I'm doing chores and errands and such so that my boss will grant my own wish someday. I, um, I seem to end up doing a lot of random things like this.”

Finally, Madoka said, “Well, that's...unusual.” But she took the container while Homura silently accepted the envelope. Ripping it open, she took out the letter and began to read it.

“'If you wish to return to your own world-' wait, our own world?!” Homura's eyes bugged out, with Madoka jerking her head up, eyes wide.

“Yeah, I wondered,” Watanuki said, trying to ignore the flabbergasted looks on their faces and offset it with non-nonchalance. Like this sort of thing happened every day.

After moment, Homura took a deep breath and went back to the letter. “'...enter the witch's domain and shoot with this.'”

As she spoke, Madoka succeeded in getting the container open and removing a single jet black arrow. “What?”

“'For this, I require payment. The reward you would receive for killing it will suffice.'”

Madoka and Homura looked at each other.

“How, how many of those do we have left?” Homura asked nervously.

Madoka thought for a moment before giving her a small smile. “We should have enough to get by. We'll be alright. It's only one.”

Homura looked uncomfortable for a moment before nodding and going back to the note.

“'Also, the creature is changing dimension, so looking for it will never work, but it will be attracted to my employee, so just stay near him for a little while and it'll be back.'”

“What?! Why'd Yuuko go and make me bait?!”

“'Try to keep him alive please.'”

“Why is that an afterthought?!”

“That's just cruel!”

Watanuki stopped freaking out long enough to notice that Madoka actually looked upset. “You can't fight, right?”

“Well, no, not really, but-”

“So this sort of thing is dangerous for you!” Madoka said, looking like she was about to cry. “Really dangerous. Who would do this?”

Watanuki blink and relaxed, bringing up a hand to rest on her shoulder. “It's okay. I'm probably being dramatic.” He squeezed his hand once before letting it fall away. “I'm alive so far, so I'll be alright. Just do what you have to.”

“What about when we're not here? What do you do then?” Homura asked.

“Oh, I rarely do this sort of thing without help. I'm actually kinda surprised she didn't dump Doumeki on me for this job. But-”

Watanuki was cut off as both girl stiffened and turned around, magically changing back into their original outfits as they did so as their weapons appeared from out of thin air. Quickly they moved in front of him, ready to strike.

“It's back!”

The environment shifted in a now familiar way as the area changed once again into the weird room, with it's mirrors and scribbles and the “witch” oozing in the middle of it all.

Madoka pulled back the black arrow on her bow, and it changed to lighting, similar to her own except for the new dark color, while Homura pulled out another grenade, ready to throw it if needed, hands shaking slightly. Watanuki suddenly felt like dead weight in this situation.

And as though on cue, the creature started to head right for them.

But staring into Madoka's face, she didn't seem scared at all. Eyes focused and arm steady, she stared it down, and released the arrow where it hit the center of the witch.

The witch, along with the rest of the room, froze for a moment, before the creature let out a hideous scream, and then began to dissolve right before their eyes as the floating windows exploded into shards that twinkled and vanished long before they hit the ground.

“What?! That’s it?” Homura called out. “What about-” She cut off, suddenly staring at Watanuki. “How-“

He didn’t get to hear the rest as they faded away along with the labyrinth itself, shifting and changing until he was left alone on the street corner once more.

Everything was silent for a moment until Watanuki heard the faint ping sound of something falling. Looking down at his feet lay a black, jewel-like object. Picking it up and looking closer, it was decorated with metal, with a thin spike on it.

Something about it seemed wrong.

 -----------

“So, did everything go well, Watanuki?”

Watanuki glanced up from the jewel Yuuko held in her hand to see her staring at him.

“Well, they killed the monster and disappeared. Was that what was supposed to happen?”

“Hmm, yes, everything has gone smoothly then. And the payment has been secured.” Yuuko studied the object, looking over it. “But, you have a question, don’t you?”

Watanuki looked down for a moment before taking a breath. “Could they really wish for anything at all? It goes against everything you’ve ever said about granting wishes, about having to trade something equally. And what the hell was that thing they fought? And what is that, anyway?” Watanuki pointed at the jewel in her hand.

“The creature, a 'witch', as it were, move throughout their world quite freely. That particular was even abnormal for it's kind, to have been able to make its way here.” Yuuko rested her head against the palm of her free hand. “Magical girls like them are specially made to combat them. Should it have been allowed to roam the dimensions any longer, the results would have been disastrous for any world that had no defenses against such things.

“This,” Yuuko lifted up the hand holding the black jewel. “This is something which gives the girls more power, and keeps them going for a time. With how their lives are going this time, it’s important enough that just one of these is sufficient enough to pay for their trip home.

“And yes, where they're from, someone who chooses to become a magical girl truly can be given whatever it is they most desire, no matter what it is. Anything, even raising the dead.”

“What?” Watanuki started. “But how-”

“Because the creatures there break every rule that I follow, with no regard for the consequences. Every magical girl trades their very life, a far too heavy a burden. As they are, they cannot safely enter my shop and truth be told, I do not like approaching them. Their existence is twisted, a perversion.”

“Wait, their life?” Watanuki asked, shocked. “But, they seemed okay.”

“For now, they seem fine.” Yuuko brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “It's not until their wishes turn on them that that things like the one you fought last night will appear.”

“And I can assure you,” Yuuko leaned closer, almost nose to nose, a deadly series look on her face. “It always goes bad. It is inevitable.”

Watanuki swallowed hard. “And...there's no way to fix it, is there?”

Yuuko sighed, resting back against the couch. “There's nothing you or I could do for them. It's beyond my skill, and far more than you could ever pay.”

Watanuki's shoulders sagged. Not that he could say he was surprised by her answer, but still...

“But perhaps, they may be able to help themselves with their predicament. Only time will tell.”

“Huh?” Watanuki asked. “But-”

“Lets just say they are unusual than most magical girls of their world. Now, put this away in the back-“ she handed the jewel out to him. “And let’s break out the sake!”

“What? Don't you think it's too late for that?” Watanuki asked.

“Now, now, don't be like that,” Yuuko said, waving a hand in the air. “And bring out the good stuff.”

“Alright, but I won't be held responsible for your hangover in the morning.” Taking the jewel, Watanuki left to begin digging in the storage room.

Staring after him, Yuuko sighed and sprawled out on the sofa, glancing out the window at the night sky, suddenly looking weary. She closed her eyes. “May those girls find happiness on the path they've chosen.”


End file.
